The quality of evidence is downgraded by study limitations (lack of blinding), inconsistency, and imprecise results.
A Cochrane review [Abstract] 1 included six randomized trials, with total of 325 full term infants, aged 5 to 6 weeks, suffering from colic with excessive crying. The intervention group received gentle manipulative techniques, such as those used in osteopathy and chiropractic therapies, and control group either a sham technique (1 study) or no intervention. The studies were performed in chiropractic clinics in Europe and South Africa.
In majority of the trials the parents of infants receiving manipulative therapies reported fewer hours crying per day than parents whose infants did not receive therapy, and this difference was statistically significant. However, in most studies the parents were not blindd. When looking separately at the two studies with parent blinding, no significant difference was reported in hours of crying. One of the studies recorded adverse events and none were encountered. However, with only a sample of 325 infants, there is too few data to reach any definitive conclusions about safety
| Outcome | Number of participants (trials) in studies where parents were blinded | Control:No treatment or sham | Intervention:Manipulation | Effect size (95 % CI) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Change in daily hours of crying | 126(2) | Mean 1 and 2.3 hours less cry per day | Mean 2.4 and 2 hours less cry per day | MD -0.57-2.24 to 1.09 |
Primary/Secondary Keywords